Oman, Morocco or Zanzibar?

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Kurt, thank you for the response. Now that I have been able to 'hit the books' I can see in Elgood the illustration of the Omani sword which is typically associated with the interior regions, and the scabbard does have this interesting pattern motif embossed in the leather (p.17, 2.13).

These pronged pommel type hilts do seem widespread in use and from the 17th century (possibly earlier) and probably well through the 19th. In looking at various examples of these,one example ("Arts of the Muslim Knight", Furisiyya, Milan, 2008, p.77, #41) with the same type hilt, but single downturned quillons, is shown as having been captured at Battle of Oran (Algeria) in 1732). These are shown as 'cutlasses' and often found in naval context throughout the North African littoral. This same type hilt on a sword also pictured in Elgood ("Arms and Armour of Arabia" p.11, 2.2) is strikingly similar in profile, but subtle variations in decoration and blades. This may well be the one mentioned from Stone as well, as the 'tortoise shell' is mentioned in all representations.

It seems these were notably popular in Ottoman association (particularly in N.Africa) and examples of these in Ottoman context are known from as early as the 16th century. The influence of the hilt form seems to have diffused into the Deccan in India in the 17th century as hybrids of the peaked pommel or pronged, are seen with Ottoman type quillon terminals and Indian langet. The linear design of rosettes on the hilt faces similar to yours bring to mind that Hyderabad produced swords for export to Arabia, typically Hadhramaut in the 18th century. Many have these same type discs in motif.

Elgood notes these cutlass type swords with such pronged hilt profile are well known on Arab maritime routes. The coastal region in Oman, Muscat, is the trade power which also controlled areas beyond Zanzibar, which included parts of North Africa including Libya, Algeria and Tunisia in commerce. The Ottomans were driven out of Oman by Ahmed inb Said of Yemen in 1741.

All of this seems to show distinct links in Arab maritime provenance to this type of sword, and hilts of this form with profound traditional presence. The heritage of the style from North Africa, connections to Arabia through the Yemen, particularly Hadhramaut (and sword influences between Hyderabad and Deccan), and the Omani type leatherwork in scabbard with Arab type cord and fringed swag trappings present hybridization noted to be quite well known in these type swords.

As usual, just thinking out loud here, and that this cutlass may well be quite old and simply newer scabbard, and in ivory/gold for someone of importance in trade connected to Oman's networks. It seems the merchant class in Oman were quite status and fashion conscious, but they typically carried the cylindrical hilt kattara.
Obviously these ramblings dont present anything conclusive, but hopefully the elements noted will offer possibilities for consideration and maybe even some discussion

Extremely exciting piece there!

All best regards,
Jim

Jim ,thank you for your detailed explanation!
Best Kurt

[Gavin Nugent]

I would like to offer these images of the same type of sabre.

Where once these swords were very rarely seen, the last 12 months alone has seen 4 that I know of on the market.

The suspension fitting on this example is similar to another seen and may also offer some insight to the origins.
All 4 examples I viewed had the single upper suspension mount only, 2 like this, 2 like Kurts.

I feel they could be from the Oman Persian Gulf regions.

Gav

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you Stu and Kurt!

Gav, outstanding example that really does give us better perspective! Obviously this example has been static for some time without any attention and seems later, perhaps late 18th, into 19th by the condition of materials perhaps even later. The faceted shape of the mounts seem to me to resemble Ottoman type shamshir mounts some of which were hallmarked silver c.1870s and believed from Egypt.

I found this exact hilt ,discs and all but unable to see blade in Buttin (1933,#1004) shown as Arab, 17th century. After lookingh into hilts of a number of examples this form seems to have eminated from Ottoman forms, the earliest example found so far end of 16th century (Murad III, 1574-95) in an article by David Alexander. In the Anthony North article "A Late 15th Century Italian Sword (1975) it appears this particular hilt style including quillon system was around even late 15th century on a number of thier swords. It had apparantly become favored by Ottomans and would appear to have well permeated Ottoman, thus Arab, trade routes and regions inland.

With this it seems a traditional hilt form of Arab/Ottoman style which diffused widely through trade and remained traditionally quite late

All best regards,
JIm

[LPCA]

Hi guys,

The word nimcha or nimsha suits perfectly in its size (from Arabic nim = half, thus a short sabre as a cutlas).

But it is not a Moroccan nimcha.

It is a sabre of used offshore on the Arabic dhows. Made in Zanzibar, dependence of Oman, for the Arabian Peninsula.

Usually, the saïfs of Zanzibar has a rounded off guarding protecting knocks sliding on the flat of the blade, but it is not a law.

Louis-Pierre

[A.alnakkas]

Hi all,

I would like to point out that I have never heard the word "nim" in arabic nor is it used to describe "half"

The arabic word for "half" is nisf and accentrd, it would be nus. Unless nim is used in south arabia but i highly doubt it, the origin of the word scream non-arabic. Am thinking possibly barbary which was picked up by foreigners and then the name became the standard for this genre of swords.

I also never heard the term "nimcha" or "nimsha" before meeting foreign collectors. Arabs always address swords as saif which is arabic for sword :-)


Regards,

Abdullatif

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by LPCA

Hi guys,

The word nimcha or nimsha suits perfectly in its size (from Arabic nim = half, thus a short sabre as a cutlas).

But it is not a Moroccan nimcha.

It is a sabre of used offshore on the Arabic dhows. Made in Zanzibar, dependence of Oman, for the Arabian Peninsula.

Usually, the saïfs of Zanzibar has a rounded off guarding protecting knocks sliding on the flat of the blade, but it is not a law.

Louis-Pierre

Good morning Louis Pierre ,
It is a sabre of used offshore on the Arabic dhows. Made in Zanzibar, dependence of Oman, for the Arabian Peninsula.
I think this statement is correct.
Best
Kurt

[spiral]

What great proportions & craft work!

Spiral

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Louis-Pierre,
Its great to have you posting on this! and your work on these sa'if has been one of my best resources for research. It has been a long time ago, but represents some of the best research compiled on these swords to date outside the standard references, i.e. Elgood and Buttin.

I agree that this example with stout, short blade of hanger/cutlass type blade would suggest maritime use as you have well pointed out. The hilt form is really interesting and seems to derive, or at least compare to quillon arrangements and in degree, hilt styles of North Italy as early as the end of the 16th century. The earliest example of this style hilt seems to be found in a sword of stated North African style from the period of Murid III (1574-95), well placing it in the Ottoman sphere ("The Silver Dragon and the Golden Fish", David Alexander, p.235, fig. 7).

As appears in Buttin ("Catalogue de la Collection d'Armes: Europiennes et Orientales of Charles Buttin", 1933, #1004) the exact hilt style and motif is seen as well as apparantly in ivory, shown as 'Arab, 17th century". The interesting highly stylized and blockish quillon terminals are also present.

It appears that this hilt style must have become highly favored and like many ethnographic hilt forms, perpetuated over long periods. Even in cases where other hilt forms intercede, often revivalist inclinations result in returning to the much revered old styles. This makes it difficult of course in establishing reliable chronological development patterns in many of these sword forms.

The term nim'sha, as has often been pointed out, by its alluded etymology to an Arabic term referring to 'short sword', has often, actually most typically, been misapplied to most of these sa'if from the Maghrebi versions to many of these hilt forms which have full size blades, yet still called 'nimsha'. It seems that the term itself, like many of the terms referring to many sword forms (katar, kaskara, kilij, tulwar, paluouar et al) falls into the colloquial 'collectors' glossary, in which they have apparantly been derived from unclear misinterpretations or broad assumptions. Some of these seem purely contrived, such as with the fanciful term 'scimitar' which appears more the product of literary convention than any reliable etymology.

Returning to this sword, the reference to it being of Zanzibar production brings it in parallel to the familiar sa'ifs of similar hilt form, but with the extended 'D' type ring projecting from the crossguard, presents an interesting conundrum. I have yet been unable to find any reference that unequivocally designates these sa'if with open ringed crossguard extensions or traverse bar to Zanzibar. I have only heard this conjecturally aside from in "Islamic Weapons:Maghreb to Moghul" (A. Tirri, 2003) in which Tirri claims on p.79, "...in Zanzibar, documentary evidence identifies an extensive edged weapon manufacturing center during the 19th and early 20th centuries".
In the Buttin catalog (op. cit. examples 996-1004) of the entire array of these ringed guard sa'ifs are designated as "Arab' and to the 17th and 18th centuries. It is clearly noted that thier characteristic rings also derived from North Italian hilt systems.

Unfortunately Mr. Tirri does not cite the source for the 'documentary evidence' which would have been most helpful. Another dilemma involving 'Zanzibar' weapons are the 'H' shaped (baselard form) short swords termed 'Zanzibar swords' , which designation derives from Sir Richard Burton's 1885 "Book of the Sword". In this case Burton (p.166, fig.183) actually perpetuated an original error in Auguste Demmens 1877 reference where he misidentifies the weapon as a Zanzibar weapon (p.416, #100). Charles Buttin (op.cit, p.270) cites this error in detail, and clarifies that the weapon is in reality the Moroccan form known as s'boula and these seem to have traversed the trade routes via Sekkin and into Zanzibar.

The diffusion of these weapon forms through these trade routes, both maritime as well as trans-Saharan caravans in indisputable. The broad identification as 'Arab' is probably most applicable in most cases where sound provenance is not attainable in my opinion.

I would very much like to know if anyone knows of any documented evidence assigning the ring hilted sa'if form to Zanzibar in specific, and to thier production there. In the case of Muscat (this coastal region of Oman was the actual trade operation), thier connection to thier Sultanate in Zanzibar offers more tangible assessment of 'Zanzibar' to this cutlass as it is hard to say which location actually produced the weapons...both were ports of call receiving large quantities of trade blades.

As earlier mentioned, there are potential cases for Hyderabad in India, via the Malabar trade route also plied by these dhows. These type hilts are known in India as well, in what degree unclear, but it is known that here swords were produced for Hadhramaut in the Yemen. The so called Zanzibar sa'if, while unclear if actually produced in Zanzibar were indeed destined for Yemen, so it would appear these hilts may have been produced at several locations, while it remains certain that they were present throughout the Arab trade sphere.


All best regards,
Jim